Column switch for electric lamps



July 19,1938. K. SCHNBDEQ 24,00

COLUHN SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS Fild larch 23, 1936 3 9- any? WITNESS ATTORNEY Patented July 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLUMN SWITCH FOR. ELECTRIC LAMPS Karl Schneider, Lexington, Ky.

Application March 23, 1936, Serial No.'70,499

1 Claim This invention relates to electric switches and has for an object to provide a switch which is concealed within and operated by a knob, somewhat similar to a door knob, which knob is incorporated in the ornamental structure of the lamp column where it may be in plain view at all times, within comfortable reach of the person sitting in a chair, and which because of its size will be easier to turn than the small button usually used.

it A further object is to provide a device of this character in which a conventional single .pole switch is wsernbled with a novel switch carrier and coupling, the coupling nipples of the carrier having bushings screwed thereon to be received into the upper and lower tubular sections of the lamp column.

The bushings are provided with collars which the actuating knob in position and rotatahly mount the actuating lznob. This construction is formed of a few strong simple and inexpensive parts which are easy to manufacture and which will not easily get out of order.

with the above and other objects in view the invention consists oi certain novel details of con [7 struction and combinations or parts hereinafter in described and claimed, it being understood various modifications may be resorted to n the scope of the appended claim without from spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification,

Figure l is a front elevation of a portion of a lamp column equipped with a switch constructed in accordance with the invention.

2 a view similar to Figure l but showing the operating lznob broken away to expose the fork which couples the lever oi the switch to the knob.

Figure 3-3 is a plan view of the switch with the can removed from the body of the knob to expose the combined switch carrier and coupling.

4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 8-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form oi the'invention with parts in elevation.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the switch carrier.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters or" reference designate similar parts in the various views, it and ii designate upper and lower tubular sections of a conventional lamp column. In carrying out the invention these secthe carrier.

The carrier is provided on the upper leg with an exteriorly threaded coupling nipple if} and also on the lower leg is provided with an exteriorly threaded integral coupling nipple These nipples are disposed in axial alignment with each other and open into the enclosure within the carrier Zor the purpose of conducting the circuit wires from the upper and lower sections of the column for connection to the switch in the usual manner, such as for instance, one of the wires being severed and the ends soldered to terminal tabs 26 of the switch.

An interiorly threaded bushing 2i is screwed onto the upper coupling nipple i8 and an interlorly threaded bushing 22 is screwed onto the lower coupling nipple l9.

The upper bushing is provided near the bottom with a circumferential collar and'the lower bushing is provided near the top a circumferential collar E l.

These collars form stops to limit, respectively, the insertion of the upper bushing into the upper section ill of the column, and insertion of the lower bushing into the lower section ll of the column. Both collars in addition form seats for rotatablv mounting actuating knob The actuating knob is in form a hollow cyl drical shell somewhat similar to a door knob and comprises a body section having a down-= wardly inclined bottom wall 23 which rotates upon the collar 25 of the lower bushing 22, and having a cylindrical wall 2? which rises from the bottom wall and at its juncture with the latter is provided with a circumferential bead An upwardly inclined top wall or cap 2% closes the open top of the knob body and rotatably engages the collar 23 of the upper coupling it.

as an axis.

The cap is provided with an integral depending fork ti which straddles the switch lever 32 behind the ball 33 thereof.

When the knob 25 is rotated in one direction the tori; will throw the switch lever in a corresponding direction and when the knob is rotated in the opposite direction the fork will throw the switch lever in a retrograde direction. Thus it may be seen that the operator may easily and conveniently grasp the knob for turning the switch on or ofi, since the knob is within plain view at all times and may be located on the column so as to be comfortably reached from the operators chair. Because it is of large diameter, the knob may be more readily turned than small buttons and the like usually employed.

In figure 5 there is shown a modified form of the invention in which not only the knob but a portion of the lamp column itself may be turned to operate the switch. In the modified form of the invention the nipple 36 of the switch carrier is threaded into the upper end of a tubular spacer The lower end of the tubular spacer is threaded into a bushing 37 similar to the above described bushing 22. The bushing is fixed in any preferred manner in the upper end of a portion of the lamp column Bil. The down-. wardly inclined bottom wall 39 of the knob is formed integral with a tube at which is rotatably supported upon the circumferential bead ti of the bushing 37. The extension :36 of the knob forms a continuation of the lamp column and may if desired be so far extended as to include the whole column of the lamp below the actuating knob. One may turn on or oil the switch by grasping the knob 12 or the tubular extension Gil below it.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

Switch mechanism for electric lamps and appliances comprising the combination with a tubular housing for circuit wires, of a switch carrier of substantially U-shape in crox section and having upper and lower legs connected by a fiat plate opposite the bight of the carrier, aligned nipples extending from the upper and lower legs for securing the carrier in said hous= ing, a snap action switch housed within the en- 

